AFL Power Poll Week 1

AFL Power Poll - Week 1 (CURRENT) (TEAM) (W/L RECORD) (LAST WEEKS RANK) 1) Colorado Crush (0-0) Hard not to keep the reigning AFL champs at the top of the list after winning it all last season in only the 3rd year of the franchise's existence. With 17 of 20 back from last season's roster, look for the Crush to be a major player in the upcoming campaign. EA sports AFL 2006 cover boy, QB John Dutton, is back to lead a potent attack with the help of OS Damian Harrell, WR's Kevin McKenzie, Willis Marshall, Andy McCullough, and new addition Evan Hlavacek. The defense is still a cause for concern though as it was one of the worst in the league a season ago. 2) Georgia Force (0-0) HC Doug Plank and his staff are back in 2006 along with many of the players that contributed to their 11-5 mark. Back is QB Matt Nagy whose coming off his record breaking '05 campaign along with newly designated OS Chris Jackson and WR/LB Derek "Baby Moss" Lee who got some time in the pro ranks this past off-season on the Chicago Bears practice squad. However, a few key ingredients are missing this year and it will be interesting to see how the new guys perform. Either way, the Force boast one of the best lines in the business and it will keep the ArenaBowl runner-ups in the mix all season long. 3) Philadelphia Soul (0-0) There's not a single doubt in my mind that if the Soul stay healthy this upcoming season the third time will be the charm for the Soul to get a playoff birth. I can't believe how loaded this squad is on both sides of the ball! We all know about their fantastic offense from a year ago led by QB Tony Graziani and company, but it's the additions on defense that lead me to believe the rocker guy in that commercial from a year ago in Vegas might be hoisting the hardware in '06. The influx of talent and knowledge from Orlando this past off-season is really going to pay off. 4) Nashville Kats (0-0) The rebirth of the Kats last season saw them get off to a terrible start, but a six-game winning streak to close has them poised to be a championship contender in '06. HC Pat Sperduto simply knows what it takes to win in this league, and the Kats had by far the best off-season of any other club. The Kats are stacked on the line, have one of the best WR corps in the game, maybe the best FB/LB corps ever, and decent QB play. There's talent at every position on the field, and they're coached by one of the games best. Nobody wants to line up against this bunch this season, and the Kats will be a flat out filthy opponent. 5) Tampa Bay Storm (0-0) HC Tim Marcum and the Storm enter 2006 in search of their sixth ArenaBowl championship, and they believe they've got the tools to get the job done. The offense is a very scary unit. It averaged 57 PPG a year ago at home, and brought in super WR/DB Bobby Sippio to add to its potent attack this past off-season. Look for QB Shane Stafford to maybe top last season's gaudy numbers TD/INT ratio of 83/14). What worries me here is the defense as a few key cogs to their past success have since departed. The Storm will be a very tough out once the new guys gel with the mainstays, and will most definitely give Georgia all they could want and more. 6) Chicago Rush (0-0) Last season's exit from the AFL Playoffs in the since deemed "Confetti Game" was a tough pill to swallow for Rush nation. Nonetheless, the outlook in 2006 looks bright for HC Mike Hohensee as Chicago is stacked at just about every position heading into the 2006 season. The main question mark remains at the QB position as former field general Raymond Philyaw's recent string of injuries kept the front office from ponying up on extending his contract. Instead, the Rush brought in speedy QB Michael Bishop over from the division rival Rampage and hope the coaching staff can remedy his current passing mechanics. If he settles in comfortably, expect Chicago to reach the second season for the sixth straight year and knock the monkey that's been the American Conference Final off their backs once and for all. 7) San Jose Sabercats (0-0) Last season's early round exit in the post-season was enough to make the Sabercats front office decide to mix things up a bit this past off-season. Most of the regular mainstays are back, but they've retooled on both sides of the ball. HC Darren Arbet wanted to get back to more of a smash mouth type of play to compliment QB Mark Grieb's passing attack and went out and grabbed two of the leagues better FB/LB's in Phil Glover and Ja'Mar Toombs. The Sabercats will dearly miss the services of all everything Rashied Davis, but talent is on hand and there's always the reliable James Roe to count on when things get tight. 8) Dallas Desperados (0-0) It was extremely tough to install the Despo's this low on the totem poll, but even with all that talent they have to show me they're not the same team that committed numerous bonehead penalties and mistakes throughout the entire 2006 season. The installment of QB Clint Dolezel should go rather smoothly as he's got some big-time studs to throw to in OS Jason Shelley and WR's Will Pettis and Dialleo Burks. He's also got a running attack that needs to be respected with FB/LB Duke Pettijohn toting the rock. Dallas could explode out of the gates at 5-0, which would really install confidence into what could be a very dangerous squad. 9) New York Dragons (0-0) The Dragons won its third Eastern Division title last season with a solid 10-6 mark, but the fact that no other team in the East challenged for a playoff spot speaks volumes for how bad the division really was. QB Aaron Garcia put forth another fine campaign, and the Dragons offense looks to be one of the best units the league has to offer this season. However, the defense is another story. It's been completely retooled and will prove to be their Achilles heel. Points won't be hard to come by for the Dragons, but limiting opponents to score one more might be. 10) Los Angeles Avengers (0-0) Was the Avengers 2005 season and first Western Division Championship a fluke, or was all the off-season accolades and hardware warranted? We're about to find out, and I've got a feeling it was a mix of both. No doubt this squad boasts some studs on both sides of the ball, but I've got major concerns at the QB position. However, HC Ed Hodgkiss has shown a knack for developing some stellar field generals in this league. The Avengers will be a very scrappy team in '06, and have the lethal K Remy Hamilton on their sideline to win all the close ones. And the rest.... 11) Orlando Predators (0-0) 12) Columbus Destroyers (0-0) 13) Austin Wranglers (0-0) 14) Grand Rapids Rampage (0-0) 15) Arizona Rattlers (0-0) 16) Utah Blaze (0-0) 17) Kansas City Brigade (0-0) 18) Las Vegas Gladiators (0-0)